Contact: Chris Chesrown
Media Relations Manager
480-731-8503

For Immediate Release

MARICOPA LATINOS REACH FUNDRAISING MILESTONE AND SET NEW GOALS

December 3, 2001 - The Maricopa Chapter of the Arizona Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, or AACHE, has passed an important milestone, and leaders of the group say that's just the beginning.

The Chapter values and celebrates diversity within the Maricopa Community Colleges, and works collaboratively with the district on a variety of issues including efforts to raise scholarships for Chicano, Hispano and Latino students. Recently, AACHE announced that it has raised more than $100,000 for those scholarships. More than half that amount was raised at a February 1999 breakfast meeting.

That carefully planned and well executed event had a goal of raising $30,000, but in just over two hours, AACHE organizers nearly doubled that amount - bringing in gifts and pledges totaling $56,000. That amount and gifts from prior and subsequent fund raising efforts pushed total contributions to AACHE's scholarship fund to $106,000.

To understand that success, two AACHE leaders say you need to understand Chicano, Hispanic, and Latino cultures. Adolfo Gamez, who is Director of the Estrella Mountain Community College Southwest Skills Center, says, "We are committed to doing whatever we can to help our students succeed. Stella Torres, Associate Director of Foundation and Corporate Giving for the Maricopa Community College District, points out that the opportunity to create "named" scholarship funds has been one key to their success. "It is real important in our cultures to honor family, loved ones, mentors, and other people who have been important to us." So scholarship donors were given the opportunity to create individual scholarship funds named in honor of a person they chose.

Gamez, Torres, Dr. Margaret Macias of Phoenix College, who organized AACHE's first scholarship fund drives, and the organization's other member have no intention of resting on their laurels - and with good reason. Gamez says the last scholarship breakfast was so popular that people already are asking, "when are we going to do it again?" Now that many of the pledges from the 1999 scholarship breakfast have been fulfilled, AACHE plans to repeat the event - perhaps as early as this spring.

And while AACHE's primary mission is to provide support for education, the group also has other philanthropic interests. On December 14, the group will sponsor "Viva USA Baile." This dance is open to the public and will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Wigwam Resort. Live music will be provided by Power Drive, along with recorded music presented by "DJ" Eugene Medrano. Admission is $15 with proceeds going to the fire fighter or police officer relief efforts in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Given AACHE's strong volunteer base, enthusiasm, and commitment, it is likely this event will be a big success, too.

The Maricopa County Community College District is one of the largest community college districts in the nation. It includes 10 colleges - Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Estrella Mountain Community College, GateWay Community College, Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix College, Rio Salado College, Scottsdale Community College and South Mountain Community College. The District also includes the Maricopa Skill Center, Southwest Skill Center, several satellite campuses and business/industry, technical and customized training institutes and serves roughly a quarter million students annually. For more information: 480-731-8000 or www.maricopa.edu

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March 13, 2002